This undated photo shows the Ruins of the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Macao. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)
MACAO – The value of Macao's retail sales for the first quarter of 2021 totaled 18.75 billion patacas (about US$2.35 billion), up 68.0 percent year-on-year, the special administrative region's statistic department said on Tuesday.
The latest report from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) showed that among the major retail trade activities, sales values of communication equipment, leather goods and watches, clocks and jewelry witnessed notable year-on-year increases of 182.4 percent, 150.5 percent and 123.4 percent respectively, whereas sales value of supermarkets decreased by 17.9 percent.
The latest report from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) showed that among the major retail trade activities, sales values of communication equipment, leather goods and watches, clocks and jewelry witnessed notable year-on-year increases of 182.4 percent, 150.5 percent and 123.4 percent respectively
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As regards sales volume index, the indices of communication equipment, leather goods and watches, clocks and jewelry registered significant growth, while the index of supermarkets declined.
The value of retail sales in the first quarter of 2021 rose by 3.1 percent as compared with the revised figure of 18.19 billion patacas in the fourth quarter of 2020. Sales value of communication equipment rose markedly, whereas sales values of motor vehicles and adults' clothing dropped.
Moreover, the sales volume index grew by 4.2 percent quarter-to-quarter.
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In respect of retailers' comments, 43.4 percent of the retailers expected the sales volume to stay stable year-on-year in the second quarter of 2021, 41.6 percent anticipated a decrease and 15.0 percent forecast an increase. Meanwhile, 58.7 percent of the retailers predicted that the retail prices would remain steady year-on-year in the second quarter, 30.2 percent foresaw a decrease and 11.1 percent expected an increase.
As compared with the first quarter of 2021, about 45.7 percent of the retailers envisaged sluggish business in the second quarter, whereas retailers expecting stable performance and those anticipating a favorable outlook together accounted for 54.3 percent of the total.